Botanical illustration: art at the service of science

By Alessandra Holanda

A researcher, an artist, an observer of nature. Tracing shapes and mixing colors, trying to achieve the most accurate representation of the plant being observed. Creating a lasting record of that species. By combining artistic sensitivity with scientific rigor, the botanical illustrator is able to create new representations of the plant world. Whether in watercolor, graphite or ink, when art and science meet, nature gains a new perspective.

Of great importance for the dissemination of scientific knowledge and for nature conservation, botanical illustration is a branch of scientific illustration. Games of light and shadow, realistic drawings and a wealth of detail have become a source of knowledge about the most diverse botanical species.

With a master's degree in botany from the National School of Tropical Botany (ENBT) at the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, illustrator Maria Alice de Rezende has found a passion for botanical illustration. With a degree in Fine Arts from the School of Fine Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, she discovered an aptitude for drawing plants while still at university.

Guided by a professor on her course, the artist sought to learn more about the area and turned that spark of curiosity into her profession. In 2024, Maria Alice won the Jill Smythies prize for botanical illustration, awarded by the Linnean Society of London. She is the first South American illustrator in the field of botany to receive this award. For more than 20 years, Maria Alice has worked with researchers at the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Research Institute.

“There's no way for an illustrator to play their role alone, it's a joint effort between the researcher and the illustrator. This exchange with the researcher is also important because he knows what he wants from that species, so it's a joint effort between science and art,” says the illustrator.

By combining the world of art with scientific knowledge, the botanical illustrator is able to capture details of a particular species and bring the observer closer to plants that are often known, but have not been observed in all their complexity. Each illustration must contain the exact number of petals, sepals, fillets and the other structures that make up plant anatomy. Due to their specific nature, illustrations help in the process of plant classification and identification.

The teachers of ENBT's botanical illustration extension courses, Malena Barretto and Paulo Ormindo, emphasize the educational nature of this activity. Observing, interpreting and illustrating the plant world allows for a greater understanding of the human-nature relationship, while at the same time contributing to the preservation process.

The works done in watercolor, graphite or ink delight the eye and allow us to reflect on nature, conveying diverse information based on the personal sensitivity of each artist and a more human look. Luiz Berri, also a botanical illustrator, highlights how botanical illustrations bring out the particular characteristics of someone who may have spent hours analyzing a plant before drawing it and taken care to investigate every part of that individual.

“Botanical illustrations do have an artistic character, but they also have a scientific role. It is part of a process of artistic illustration and scientific information. It has a broader character than the photo, because it has a very clear human characteristic, just as a painter has his particular characteristics, so does the illustrator,” says Berri.

Botanical illustrators can work in different areas. The botanical illustration courses offered by ENBT welcome researchers, biologists, architects, designers and landscapers who are looking to improve their perceptions of the plant world and, in the process, develop a more informed view of their surroundings.

Although the main job opportunities are in research centers, botanical illustrators can also find opportunities in the craft sector, making items such as calendars, potholders and other decorative items. In addition to botanical gardens, there is also a job market in which botanical illustrators can venture, such as museums, scientific publishers - creating illustrations for books, articles and other educational materials - and environmental and conservation agencies.

Anyone who wants to appreciate and learn more about this art can visit the Botanical Illustration Exhibition that the National School of Tropical Botany is promoting from September 16 to 28, 2024, from 9am to 5pm. The works were produced by students and former students who work as botanical artists in various fields, as well as by professors Paulo Ormindo and Malena Barretto. The exhibition commemorates the 23rd anniversary of ENBT's extension program and brings together 35 works in watercolor, graphite and ink techniques. ENBT is located at Rua Pacheco Leão, 2040, Horto.

Learn more about the extension courses in botanical illustration offered by ENBT.

Read more: Rio Botanical Garden promotes botanical illustration exhibition.